Business, international

A new category in the French textile washing detergent market - concentrated detergent in tablet form - will be introduced by Lever France in April 1998. The category will offer convenience by avoiding the problems of overdosing, waste and spillage that have plagued the concentrated detergent market in general. The downside, however, is the loss of flexibility as consumers will not be able to adjust the amount of detergent as freely as other detergent formats. Overall, concentrated detergent tablets will need to perform better than the more popular powder or liquid detergents and move beyond mere convenience to gain mainstream acceptance.

Comment:

Will introduce concentrated textile washing detergent in tablet form in France in April 1998

The French market for textile washing products: company profiles: Colgate-Palmolive France SA

Article Abstract:

Colgate-Palmolive France SA, the French subsidiary of US-based Colgate-Palmolive Corp., is the fourth-leading player in the French textile washing products market, with a market share of 15.1% in value terms in 1997. Of the market's three sectors (detergents, softeners and "others"), the company's brightest spot lies in the softener sector, where its Soupline brand had a dominating market share of 45.1% in 1997. The company's leading detergent brand is Gama, which had a 1997 market share of 6.1%. The company posted a turnover of FF4,470 million in 1996, a 2.4% increase over the previous year.

Comment:

Is the fourth-leading player in the French textile washing products market, with a market share of 15.1% in value terms in 1997